Rotary brush adjustment device for vacuum cleaner attachment

ABSTRACT

A device for adjusting the level of a rotary brush mounted inside the housing of a vacuum cleaner attachment including a driving member mounted for rotation in the housing at one end of the brush and a driven member also mounted for rotation in the housing at the other end of the brush. A stationary shaft is eccentrically connected at each end thereof to the driving and driven members for transmitting the rotary movement imparted by the driving member to the driven member so as to simultaneously vary the level of both ends of the stationary shaft. The brush is mounted for rotation of the stationary shaft and the level thereof is adjusted by the movement of the stationary shaft.

United States Patent Gaudry [451 June 27, 1972- [54] ROTARY BRUSHADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR VACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT [2]] Appl. No.: 86,139

, [58] Field ofSearch ..15/368, 370, 371, 372, 373,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Thomwald 1 5/392 1,324,19512/1919 Hoover ..l5/368 1,309,092 7/1919 Hoover ..l$/368 PrimaryExaminer-Leon G. Machlin Artomey-William S. Henry [57] ABSTRACT A devicefor adjusting the level of a rotary brush mounted inside the housing ofa vacuum cleaner' attachment including a driving member mounted forrotation in the housing at one end of the brush and a driven member alsomounted for rotation in the housing at the other end of the brush. Astationary shaft is eccentrically connected at each end thereof to thedriving and driven members for transmitting the rotary movement impartedby the driving member to the driven member so as to simultaneously varythe level of both ends of the stationary shaft. The brush is mounted forrotation of the stationary shaft and the level thereof is adjusted bythe movement of the stationary shaft.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures rmminmzv m2 3.671 .996

INVENTOR Paul E. GAUDRY A TTORNE Y I ROTARY BRUSH ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FORVACUUM CLEANER ATTACHMENT This invention relates to a rotary brushadjustment device for use with a vacuum cleaner attachment.

Motor-operated brush attachments have been provided lately for use withvacuum cleaners in order to provide better cleaning of rugs. Such arotary brush is normally mounted for rotation within the housing of thevacuum cleaner attachment and, when it is worn out after a certainamount of use, it is replaced by a new one. Suchan arrangement is nottoo convenient because the height of the brush above the floor level isfixed andpre-set to suit'a rug of average thickness. In addition, thebrushes are never used to their full capacity and must be thrown outeven if thebristles thereof are still long enough to be put to usefuluse.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an adjustment ofthe level of such a rotary brush so as to extend the life thereof andalso to suitrugs of various thickness.

. Means for 'varying the height of household appliances above the floorhave been provided in the. prior art. However, such means' are usuallycoupled with the rollers of the appliances and, therefore, requireseparate control devices for each roller. Such an adjustment iscumbersome and, in addition, would not'provide an even adjustment of therotary brush.

It is therefore the main object of the invention to provide an easyadjustment of the level of the rotary brush of a vacuum cleanerattachment which avoids the necessity of adjusting the level of each endof the rotary brush individually.

The device, in accordance with the invention, comprises a 1 drivingmember mounted for rotation on the housing of the vacuum cleanerattachment at one end of thebrush, and a driven member also mounted forrotation on the housing of the vacuum cleaner attachment at the otherend of the brush. A stationary shaft is eccentrically connected at eachend thereof to the driving and driven members for transmitting therotary movement imparted by the driving member to to the driven memberso as to simultaneous vary the level of both ends of the stationaryshaft. The brush is mounted for rotation on a stationary shaft and thelevel thereof is controlled by the movement of the stationary shaft.

in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the driving member is acontrol lever which maybe manually rotated a predetermined number. ofdegrees. Such lever is in the shape of a plate having a -number ofindexing cams therein per: mitting to set the rotary brush atpredetermined levels above the surface of the" floor. The cams cooperatewith spring loaded means located on the housing of the vacuum cleanerattachment similarly, the driven member is a plate which may also haveindexing cams corresponding to the ones of the driving member. g e

The invention will now be disclosed with reference to a preferredembodiment thereof and to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a vacuum cleaner attachment including a rotary brushand an adjustment device for such rotary brush;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the various parts of theadjustment device; and

FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the driving member of the adjustmentdevice.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a rotary brush attachment fora vacuum cleaner comprising a brush l2 rotated by a motor (not shown)through a belt 14. The height of the brush above the floor is controlledby means of the level adjustment device in accordance with the inventionand comprising generally a driving member 16 and a driven member 18which are rotatably mounted on the housing of the attachment 10 about anaxis of rotation 20, and a rod 22 which is eccentrically connected tomembers 16 and 18 at a predetermined distance from axis of rotation 20,The rotation of the driving member 16 in the directions indicated byarrows 24 and 25 will impart a corresponding rotary movement to drivenmember 18 through rod 22 so as to simultaneously raise or lower bothends of rod 22.

Brush 12 is rotatably mounted on rod 22 by means of needle bearing mount26 which is secured to brush 12 and needle bearing 28 which is disposedon rod 22. The raising or lowering of rod 22 will consequently raise orlower brush 12.

In the embodiment disclosed, the driving member 16 and the driven member18 take the form of end plates which are rotatably mounted in slots 30provided in the housing of the vacuum cleaner attachment 10, thedimensions of such slots being slightly greater then plates 16 and 18.End plates 16 and 18 are arranged to pivot in the slots 30 about pins 32inserted in holes 33 and 34 in the plates and the housing.

End plate 16 is provided with a control lever 35 for rotating the platea predetermined number of degrees. In addition, indexing means areprovided in at least one of the plates 16 and 18 for detemiining anumber of pre-set levels for the rotary brush. Such indexing meanscomprise a number of indexing earns 36 in the form of accurate cutswhich cooperate with a spring loaded means located on the housing of theattachment 10. Such spring loaded means includes, in the embodimentdisclosed, a spring 38 inserted in a hole 40 in the housing and a steelball 42 adapted to contact cams 36.

End plates 16 and 118 further comprise stop means 44 which are adaptedto contact the edge of slots 30 for limiting the amount of rotation ofthe plates. 5

Rod 22 is provided with a flattened portion 46 at both ends thereofwhich cooperate with slots 48 in end plates 16 and 18. Such a connectionis advantageous in that it permits to easily couple driving plate 16 todriven plate 18. ln'addition, brush 12 may be easily dismantled byremoving one of the end plates and withdrawing the brush.

In operation, the height of brush 12 above ground is selected byoperating lever 35 which will permitto position the end plate 16 in oneof its pre-set positions. The rotation of driving plate 16 will rotatedriven plate 18 which is coupled thereto by means of rod 22 so as tosimultaneously control both ends of the brush 12 mounted on rod 22.Consequently, there will be no need for adjusting both ends of the brushseparately.

it is to be understood that the driving and driven members disclosed inthe preferred embodiment of the invention may take various forms.Consequently, the invention is not to be limited to the structure of theembodiment disclosed but to the invention as stated in'the statement ofinvention and in the claims attached.

What is claimed is: r

1. A device for adjusting the level of a rotary brush mounted inside thehousing of a vacuum cleaner attachment comprisa. A driving membermounted for rotation on said housing at one end of said member; h

b. A driven member mounted for rotation on said housing at the other endof said brush;

c. A shaft eccentrically connected at each end thereof in fixed relationto both driving and driven members for transmitting rotary movementimparted by said driving member to said driven member so as tosimultaneously vary the level of both ends of said shaft;

d. means for mounting said brush for rotation on said shaft;

and

e. manually operable means for rotating said driving member.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said driving member includesa control lever for rotating said driving member a predetermined numberof degrees.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, including means for indexing at leastone of said members so as to provide a number of pre-set levels for saidrotary brush.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said indexing means comprisea plurality of indexing carns located on at least one of said membersand spring loaded means located on said housing and cooperating withsaid cams.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said spring loaded meanscomprise a spring located in a hole in said housing and a steel ballbiased by said spring against said indexing cam.

limiting the amount of rotation of said plates.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said members has anelongated slot therein and wherein said shafi has a flattened portionprotruding through said elongated slot for coupling said shaft to saidmembers.

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1. A device for adjusting the level of a rotary brush mounted inside thehousing of a vacuum cleaner attachment comprising: a. A driving membermounted for rotation on said housing at one end of said member; b. Adriven member mounted for rotation on said housing at the other end ofsaid brush; c. A shaft eccentrically connected at each end thereof infixed relation to both driving and driven members for transmittingrotary movement imparted by said driving member to said driven member soas to simultaneously vary the level of both ends of said shaft; d. meansfor mounting said brush for rotation on said shaft; and e. manuallyoperable means for rotating said driving member.
 2. A device as definedin claim 1, wherein said driving member includes a control lever forrotating said driving member a predetermined number of degrees.
 3. Adevice as defined in claim 1, including means for indexing at least oneof said members so as to provide a number of pre-set levels for saidrotary brush.
 4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein said indexingmeans comprise a plurality of indexing cams located on at least one ofsaid members and spring loaded means located on said housing andcooperating with said cams.
 5. A device as defined in claim 4, whereinsaid spring loaded means comprise a spring located in a hole in saidhousing and a steel ball biased by said spring against said indexingcam.
 6. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said members are platesand wherein said housing includes slots having dimensions slightlygreater than said plates for receiving said plates, and furthercomprising pins passing through said housing and said plates forrotatably mounting said plates within said slots.
 7. A device as definedin claim 6, wherein said plates include stop means adapted to contactthe edge of said slots for limiting the amount of rotation of saidplates.
 8. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said membershas an elongated slot therein and wherein said shaft has a flattenedportion protruding through said elongated slot for coupling said shaftto said members.